Logan Square, Chicago
A Neon Fever Dream on Kedzie
Young American sits at 2545 N Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square, two blocks from the Logan Square Blue Line stop. The self described progressive bar and kitchen opened in 2018 and runs on small, precise cocktails under minimalist neon.
Chicago Magazine called the room a neon fever dream, and The Infatuation notes the moody light reads like a Wong Kar-wai film. Beverage director Julia McKinley builds a list that takes spirit free drinks as seriously as the boozy ones.
Anyone who wants playful drinks, stadium seating, and the Instagram famous Goth Bread will settle in fast. Anyone who measures value in ounces should know the pours run deliberately small.
An L shaped bar holds the best seats, and a handful of neon signs do most of the lighting. The adjacent room seats groups stadium style, an arrangement Time Out singles out as the move for parties of four or more.
Cocktails run about 13 to 15 dollars and arrive in small portions built for slow sipping. Order the Spaceface, a minty margarita of tequila, blanco vermouth, lime, creme de menthe, pineapple, and honey that Chicago Magazine called revelatory. The spirit free list deserves a round of its own.
Planning a longer night? Start with our guide to the best cocktail bars in Chicago and build the crawl from there.
Logan Square regulars and date night couples fill the bar from 8pm, and weekend seats go fast. Weeknights stay loose enough to take the L shaped bar and work through the list.
- Chicago Magazine: "Young American is a neon fever dream".
- The Infatuation praises the lineup of "diminutively portioned sips" and the Wong Kar-wai mood.
- Time Out points groups to the stadium style seating in the side room.
- Dates that want neon and small, smart drinks
- Sober and low proof drinkers done with compromise
- Avoid if you want a heavy three ounce pour
